Nullarbor Links, the “World’s Longest Golf Course” officially commenced operations with an inaugural tournament and an opening tee off on October 22. It expects to run through October 27, 2009, with a closing dinner in Kalgoorlie. Western Australia. What makes this the longest? Its eighteen holes stretch along a 1,365 kilometres (848 miles) route through some of the most amazingly empty terrain on the Australian continent.
Sure, the superlative felt like a bit of a gimmick but it does grab one’s attention. The holes themselves cover a normal length. However, a tremendous distances separates each hole. Walking obviously isn’t an option and neither are golf carts. So players need to drive to the next hole because it might be another 100 kilometres away. Playing at a leisurely pace seems to take about five to seven days according to the reports of early reviewers. Theoretically someone could probably complete it in two or three days with some determination.
A Noble Purpose
Ordinarily most travelers speed right through the Nullarbor Plain along the Eyre Highway on the way to somewhere else. Thus the project hopes to attract tourists to a very remote corner of Australia where they might stay for awhile. Sponsors envision that some travelers might be enticed to take their time, enjoy the scenery, stop at the widely-scattered towns and roadhouses, learn a little about the area and leave a few dollars behind to create jobs and help support the local economy.
About 600 players completed the course during its soft opening in August 2009. So imagine the impact that wealthy visitors could have on so many of the very small towns that sponsor holes along the course now that it’s officially opened and gaining some attention.
Nullarbor Links is also touting itself as a destination unto itself. Golfers frequently take holidays specifically in pursuit of their sport. Additionally they tend to spend freely in support their habit. Interest has been generated from prospective visitors in Europe, Asia and North America who want to the distinction of completing the world’s longest course. These people probably never would have traveled through the area otherwise. Therefore, sponsors aim to draw these visitors into the vast interior by describing it as the “Real Australia” and a place to go once one one has already seen the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. A video interview on the BBC website explained this ingenious idea in more detail.
Designing Holes
The holes themselves provide ecological, cultural and historical perspectives. Stretching from Ceduna to Kalgoorlie (map), they offer the full gamut of Nullarbor experiences. Nullarbor Links covers such a wide expanse that it crosses into three time zones. Well, two time zones officially plus the unusual but locally-relevant Australian Central Western Standard Time” (ACWST).
I posted an article on ACWST previously because it seemed rather peculiar. It is based not on the hour or the half-hour, but on the quarter hour (UTC+8:45). In fact that’s how I found out about Nullarbor Links a couple of days ago. I kept getting Google hits on the site looking for information on the Australian golf course that extended into three time zones. Apparently my page kept popping up as a positive hit.
Here are the holes:
- Oyster Beds – At Ceduna Golf Club
- Denial Bay – At Ceduna Golf Club
- Windmills – At Penong Golf Course
- Wombat Hole – At Nundroo
- Dingo’s Den – At Nullarbor Motel
- Border Kangaroo – At Border Village
- Nullarbor Nymph – At Eucla Golf Club
- Watering Hole – At Mundrabilla Motel
- Brumby’s Run – At Madura Pass Motel
- Eagles Nest – At Cocklebiddy Motel
- 90 Mile Straight – At Caiguna Motel
- Skylab – At Balladonia Motel
- Sheep’s Back – At Fraser Range
- Golden Horse – At Norseman Golf Club
- Ngadju – At Norseman Golf Club
- Silver Lake – At Kambalda Golf Club
- Golden Mile – At Kalgoorlie Golf Club
- CY O’Connor – At Kalgoorlie Golf Club
Some of the holes on either end were collocated with existing golf courses. However, those in the middle seemed to be standalone holes maintained specifically for the purpose of the Nullarbor Links project.
Hole 6 at Border Village is located within ACWST. This has the distinction of being the only spot in South Australia that follows the weird little unofficial time zone. The remaining ACWST locations are all found in Western Australia. Hole 11, known as 90 Mile Straight, recognizes one of the most famous stretches of the Eyre Highway. This is a ribbon of tarmac that runs, literally, 90 miles in a straight line without a single curve. Many other of the holes also have fascinating stories that can be explored by those who play the course.
It’s quite an interesting concept for the promotion of tourism. Additionally, it shows once again that geo-oddities can gain popular mass appeal when packaged properly.
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